Improper Product Claims

Hi Eric,It sounds like you're "reviewing" this website for your own purposes, as opposed to having been asked to review it by the manufacturer. If you've been asked, it's certainly your duty to point out misleading claims!Even when not asked, I've never hesitated to be pretty vocal about this kind of thing, both directly to the company and publicly. I think it's a real problem when some companies follow the rules carefully and their competitors don't. I blogged about this a while back--perhaps sharing a link to this blog post with the manufacturer will encourage them to get their ducks in a row. Wishful (Magical?) Thinking on Products and LEED's Materials Credits

Eric,
I share your pain and frustration! One strategy is to carefully craft your LEED submittals section in your specifications. Define what is meant by recycled content and specifically state that 'regrind' from the same manufacturing process doesn't count. If you are stuck with the tile, then don't hesitate to address the issue in the Tile section. When I'm at the specifying phase, I'll call corporate technical sales and let them know and ask for the real content. This does help. You need to educate your interior designers about greenwashing. Lastly, if you can meet with the rep in person, voice your concern again. Some reps are better than others.

Hello!!
In order to resolve this situation, could you define what LEED means with process? I have questions on how to apply this credit if I do not know the definition of process, since the interpretation can be very broard. I hope you can help me. Thank you

Teresa, LEED is referring to the manufacturing process. Let's say that a glass manufacturer routinely produces waste glass or broken glass during its process (this is referred to as cullet). They then routinely feed that waste material back into the glass manufacturing line, within the same plant. That is considered normal manufacturing process and not recycling.Steps that are taken within a facility and within the normal manufacturing timeframe are usually considered part of one "process."Do you have any examples you're struggling with?

Thank you for your quick reply.
The sludge generated in the cleaning of the plant or in the filter systems for dust removal are incorporated into a process of milling clays (after investing great efforts to make precise adjustments in the composition since these materials alter the desired properties). Can those wastes be considered as recycled content.? In the case of not being incorporated in the composition, these materials should be disposed in the landfill.

I had doubts about the process definition, because if we consider the process as a unitarian process, these wastes are generated in different processes, but if we consider the process as a facility, then, these waster should not be considered. all comes down to an issue of tax entity

As long as you're clear that the waste you're collecting and reusing is not just going back into the product line from which it was generated, you should be OK calling it pre-consumer recycled content.If you want further assurance, and to gain the trust of the market, the best approach is to get your recycled-content claims certified by an independent third party. The leading organizations that do that are Scientific Certification Systems, UL Environment, and ICC Evaluation Services. If you need more details on how all that works, check out BuildingGreen's Special Report on green product certifications.

Hello,

I'd like to build on T Ros's question regarding the definition of "process".

Here's the example I'm facing: an alluminium rod is manufactured by Company A, and sent to Company B for extrusion. The extrusion process has a succesful output of 80%, which then become aluminium frames for windows. The remaining 20% are scrap. This scrap is then returned to Company A, and included in the aluminium rod manufacturing process. According to the manufacturer's declaration, the rod is 97.34% pre-consumer, and 2.66% post-consumer obtained from old car parts, summing up to 100% recycled aluminium rods.

If "process" refers to the entire production line -- from raw aluminium all the way through the extrusion or even the final window frames -- this is not considered pre-consumer recycled content and cannot count for LEED. The final result would be only the 2.66% post-consumer (which seems a bit unfair given the environmental, energy-related and economic benefits of the recycling process!!).

But if we consider "process" as the facility (rod manufacturer - Company A), then the scrap comes from a diferrent process (extrusion - Company B), and the 97.34% can be considered pre-consumer recycled content.

Thanks in advance for any input!